Coeur d’Alene woman charged in dog boarding cruelty case

Brandi L. Adamson, 49, was arrested after prosecutors tied her to allegations that a Coeur d’Alene puppy boarded at Faithful K9 Trainer was left severely malnourished and nearly frozen to death during a 2024 training stay. Adamson, whom police said managed the kennel at the time, faces misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals and failing to properly care for or quarter an animal.

The complaint centers on a 5-month-old rat terrier whose owner signed it up for a two-week training stay at the facility, which offered boarding, training, daycare and grooming. On the final day, employees reportedly told the owner they were taking the puppy to an emergency veterinarian. When the owner arrived, she was told the dog had been severely malnourished and nearly frozen to death. Court records say the puppy weighed about 8.8 pounds before the stay and 7 pounds afterward, a steep drop for such a young dog. Police reports said it was obvious the puppy had not been fed properly or at all.

Police responded to Faithful K9 Trainer in March 2024 and said they did not see obvious signs of neglect during their visit, though they did note a temperature difference between the rooms used for small dogs and large dogs. The case shows the limits of what officers can see in a single inspection: law enforcement can document conditions, speak with staff and move a case to prosecutors, but hidden neglect may not be visible until a dog owner, veterinarian or later investigation exposes it. City prosecutors filed the misdemeanor charges in December 2024, and a judge issued a book-and-release warrant in January. That warrant was returned this week, leading to Adamson’s arrest. She is scheduled for arraignment in June.

The new case follows another major enforcement action at the same Coeur d’Alene kennel. Faithful K9 Trainer shut down in July 2024 after another dog died there from apparent heat exhaustion. During that earlier investigation, animal control officers found high temperatures and a lack of food and water, according to police. The city later revoked the kennel license.

For pet owners, the warning signs are plain. A boarding facility should be able to explain how it monitors meals, water, room temperatures and emergency care, and how it keeps small dogs separate from larger animals. A dog that comes home thinner than when it arrived, or a staff that cannot clearly explain what happened during a stay, should prompt immediate questions before any animal is left there again.